Conductor Robert Ames Steps Down From London Contemporary Orchestra, Cites Barriers Facing Working-Class Musicians

Conductor and composer Robert Ames has announced he is stepping down as co-founder and conductor of the London Contemporary Orchestra (LCO), an ensemble he has led for 18 years, according to an opinion piece he wrote for The Guardian.

In the piece, Ames said he has spent most of his adult life working in classical music and described growing increasingly concerned about the difficulty faced by people without financial resources in building careers in the sector.

Ames wrote that he came from a working-class background and was able to enter classical music as a child through opportunities such as picking up an instrument at a state school, receiving inexpensive lessons through a local, council-backed music service, and playing in youth orchestras. He noted that his family could not afford to buy him a viola, so he borrowed one.

According to Ames, these routes into the profession have become harder to access over time. He said he has lost patience with what he described as the sector's discussions of diversity, arguing that such conversations fail to acknowledge people who cannot afford to continue playing music professionally.

Ames co-founded the London Contemporary Orchestra 18 years ago. The Guardian published his account as a first-person opinion piece rather than a straight news report, and it reflects his personal perspective and experiences in the classical music sector.